Caesar: Life of a Colossus (2006)

Goldsworthy takes a Livian minutiae approach to his biography of Julius Caesar! ( )

Although we know that Julius Caesar's life came to an abrupt end, reading the long book emphasied how abrupt it was. Caesar had packed so much into his life, things appeared to have settled down, and then with what appears to be little preparation and thought, a group of senators selfishly put an end to that life. This episode fills just a few pages of this 500 page book. The rest is spent on his early life as he positions himself, quite cheekily, for promotion. A bulk of the book is spent on his time on Gaul, where some of the details of troop movements in battle do tend to be a bit tedious. However, a book that is worth reading. ( )

Caesar didn't live up to my expectations. I found it hard going. Goldsworthy refashions dramatic events into basic facts. A biography of Caesar should be lively and transport the reader to a world rich in detail that brings it alive. There are occasional glimmers. ( )

Goldworthy's work is comprehensive, accurate and balanced, offering the finest examination of Caesar's incredibly rich and astounding life. The book is long, over 500 pages, however as the author notes... how could a shorter version capture the multitude of events and accomplishments that comprise Rome's greatest citizen?

The preeminent biography of Caesar. Highly recommended. ( )

Goldsworthy pulls readers into the politics, military endeavors, and aspects of daily life for member of the Roman Republic’s upper class. This biography provides context and works to present Caesar’s life in its correct time and place without evaluating it through the lens of modern thought. The biography contains several key sections, the first dealing with Marius, Sulla, and the political climate that Caesar was born into. The book goes on to cover his youth and ascension of the corpus honorum, his time as consul, his governorship of Gaul, and finally the Civil War and dictatorship.
Goldsworthy is particularly diligent in describing the battles and campaigns, with numerous references to historical works and archaeological finds that tie in to what he is describing. The book also contains a number of helpful charts showing deployments prior to and during various battles.
This biography is a must read for the Roman history aficionado and is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning a little more about one of the most significant names from ancient Rome. ( )